NEWS

Van falls into basement after joyride crash

Pittsburgh police say a young female driver took her dad's van for a ride with friends and plowed it into the front of a building in Homewood.

Updated: 12:55 PM EDT Jul 16, 2013

Advertisement

Advertisement

Share

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Van falls into basement after joyride crash

Pittsburgh police say a young female driver took her dad's van for a ride with friends and plowed it into the front of a building in Homewood.

Updated: 12:55 PM EDT Jul 16, 2013

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

Van falls into basement after joyride crash

Pittsburgh police say a young female driver took her dad's van for a ride with friends and plowed it into the front of a building in Homewood.

Updated: 12:55 PM EDT Jul 16, 2013

Share

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Advertisement

WEBVTT SIDE ARE OPEN FROM NOW UNTIL 7:00 TONIGHT. THEY WILL ALSO BE OPEN STARTING AT 8:00 TOMORROW MORNING, IF YOU NEED THEM. NOW ALL NEW AT NOON. LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHO WAS INSIDE THE VAN THAT LOST CONTROL AND SLAMMED INTO A BUILDING AND THEN PLUMMETED INTO THE BASEMENT. POLICE ARE NOW SEARCHING FOR THE DRIVER THIS NOON. WITNESSES SAY THIS IS A CRASH LIKE NOTHING THEY HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE. "ACTION NEWS" REPORTER AMBER NICOTRA HAS THE LATEST DETAILS Reporter: YOUNG DRIVER NOT ONLY CRASHED, BUT SHE LANDED DIRECTLY IN THE BASEMENT OF THIS VACANT BUILDING. MIRACULOUSLY SHE AND THE TWO PASSENGERS INSIDE WERE NOT HURT, AND THEY NOT ONLY CLIMBED OUT, BUT THEY ALSO RAN OFFER. ALL THE WAY DOWN, WOW. Reporter: IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE PEOPLE STOP AND STARE. NEIGHBORS HEARD THE CRASH ON NORTH LANG AVENUE JUST BEFORE 2:00 A.M. LIKE BOOM. I DIDN'T NEVER SEE IT HAPPEN, BUT I SEE IT NOW. Reporter: HARD TO MISS THIS VAN THAT PLUMMETED TO THE BASEMENT OF THE VACANT BUILDING. SHATTERED GLASS AND DEBRIS LAY SCATTERED BEHIND THE BARRICADE. WE'RE TOLD THE YOUNG DRIVER WENT ON A JOYRIDE WITH TWO OF HER FRIENDS IN HER FATHER'S VAN BUT LOST CONTROL, HIT A HYDRANT AND CRASHED. THEN ALL THREE SOMEHOW CLIMBED OUT OF THE WRECKAGE AND TOOK OFF, LEAVING BEHIND THEIR SHOES AND EVERYTHING INSIDE. TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE, AND THEY ARE LUCKY TO HAVE GOTTEN AWAY. IT'S SHOCKING, BUT I'M JUST GLAD THAT THE GIRLS ARE OKAY AND WERE ABLE TO WALK AWAY. Reporter: TWO FEMALE PASSENGERS WERE FOUND BLEEDING BUT OKAY. NOW THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR. IT'S BEING RENOVATED AND MAY NOW HAVE TO BE TORN DOWN. THE BUILDING INSPECTORS NEED TO FIRST LOCATE THE OWNERS. THEY ARE SHOCKED THE BUILDING IS STILL STANDING. THEY WERE VERY LUCKY THAT THE ROOF STAYED UP THERE. LIKE I SAID, THE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS LAST NIGHT PUT THE TEMPORARY POST IN THERE WHICH IS HOLDING THE ROOF UP AT THIS POINT, AND THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURALLY FRAMED IT CAN STAND THERE FOR QUITE A BIT OF TIME. THEY SHOULD BE GRATEFUL, AND PRAYERFULLY THEIR PARENTS ARE SPEAKING WITH THEM ABOUT DRIVING AND NOT BEING CONSCIOUS OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING. Reporter: BUILDING INSPECTOR SAYS THEY WILL LIKELY REMOVE THE ROOF AND THEN PULL THE VAN OUT.